Program clock



Oct. 25, 1932. SNOW 1,884,322

PROGRAM CLOCK Filed Sept. 9, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 I N VEN TOR.

92 962 98 BY E Z ATTORNEY! Oct. 25, 1932. |3 3 W 1,884,322

PROGRAM CLOCK Filed Sept. 9. 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 cfnoul I N VEN TOR.

A TTORNEY.

Patented Oct. 25, 1932 PATENT OFFICE DESKIN D. SNOW, OF CORPUS CHRISTI, TEXAS PROGRAM CLOCK Application filed September 9, 1929. Serial No. 391,414.

The present invention has for its object the provision of simple, inexpensive and efficient means whereby a signal will be given at predetermined times. The device is intended primarily for use in schools where classes are to be shifted at stated intervals, although it may be used in other places, and it provides means whereby a signal is automatically operated at the proper intervals. The inven tion is illustrated in the accompanying drawings and will be hereinafter fully set forth.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of an apparatus embodying the invention,

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section in a vertical plane taken inside oneend of the case,

Fig. 3 is a section taken in the plane of the main shaft,

Fig. lis an enlarged detail sectional elevat-ion of the train of gearing, and

Fig. 5 is an enlarged detail section through a portion of one of the circuit-closing wheels.

In the drawings, the reference numeral 1 indicates an ordinary desk clock and the numeral 2 indicates a device embodying the invention. In the present instance, the clock is shown as provided at the back with a stud or knob 3 connectedwith the minute arbor of the clock and provided for setting the same, this arrangement being well known. The apparatus of the invention includes a main shaft 4 which is shown as projecting from one end of a casing which may be of any preferred form. Fitted to the end of the shaft 4 is a coupling bolt 5 having a head 6 in the form of a bail or eye secured to the end of the shaft and capable of pivotal movement relative thereto. On the outer end of the coupling bolt, jaws or clamping levers 7 are pivotally mounted andare adapted to engage the knob 3, as shown in Fig. 1. The jaws have divergent terminals 8 at the ends presented to the coupling bolt and between these divergent terminals a tapered nut or collar 9 is mounted upon the bolt. A locking nut 10 is threaded on the bolt between the head of the same and the collar 9 so that when the bolt is turned home the collar will be wedged between the terminals of the clamping elements Within the casing of the signal apparatus,

the shaft 4 is supported at one end in a bearing screw 11 mounted in the end of the casing, as shown clearly in Fig. 3, and having a tapered socket 12 in its inner end to receive the needle point or cone 13 formed on the adjacent end of the shaft. Adjacent the bearing 11, a hub member 14 is secured upon the shaft 4 and upon this hub member are mounted clamping nuts 15 which are adapted to be turned home against the opposite sides of a 7 wheel 16. The wheel, as shown clearly inFig. 3, is composed of two similar disks bolted firmly together and having their peripheries formed with annular flanges or rim members 17 which, when the disks are secured together, will diverge to form a trough or channel in which a band 18 of rubber or other insulating material may be secured. The disks are of metal so that good electrical contact will be made between the disks, the hub 14 and the shaft 4, and extending through the band at intervals are pins or contact points 19 of metal which are designed to at times close the signal-operating circuits. The wheel 16 be ing driven directly by the minute hand of the clock will obviously make one revolution each hour and by setting the pins 19 at the proper intervals the signal will be operated at the proper periods of the hour to notify the classes that the period has terminated. Arranged inwardly from the wheel 16 is a second wheel 20 similar in all respects to the wheel 16 and having a band 21 of insulating material through which pins or studs 22 are inserted at desired intervals. The hub 28 of the wheel 20 is fitted upon a hollow shaft 24 which is mounted upon the main shaft 4 and at its end remote from the wheel 16 has secured thereon a gear wheel 25. The end mem- This described coupling her 26 of the casing is constructed with a recess 27 concentric with the shaft 4: and within said recess is secured a frame consisting of metal plates 28 connected by bolts 29 passing marginally therethrough and also passing through the end casing member 26. Nuts mounted upon these bolts serve to secure them firmly in position connecting the frame plates to the casing and maintaining the frame plates in spaced relation. The gear is disposed between the frame plates 28, and, eccentric to the shaft 4:and said gear, a rod 30 is fitted through the frame plates and supports a double gear including a pinion'31 and a gear 32, the pinion 31 meshing with the gear 25 and the gear 32' meshing with a driving gearor pinion 33 secured on the shaft 4. It will thus be seen that the wheel 20 is driven through the train of gearing from the shaft 4 and the gearing is so proportioned that the wheel 20 will make one revolution every twenty-four hours. The contact pins 22 are set in the wheel 20 at such intervals as may be necessary to conform to the program of the school or other institution in which the apparatus is installed and, of course,the position of the contact pins may be varied from time to time as may be rendered necessary through changes in the schedule. In the bottom of the casing are brushes 34 in the form of rollers 35 at the free ends of leaf springs 36, each spring be ing secured at its outer end to the body or Wall of the casing at opposite sides of the same by a bolt 37 passing outwardly through the wall of the casing and equipped at its outer end with nuts 38 adapted to bind and 'secure terminals 39 of conductors 40 and 41.

The brushes are disposed'out of alinment with each other but are alined with the respective wheels so that each brush is in the plane of one wheel and bears upon the periphery thereof, and the springs are of such strength that they will maintain the rollers in contact with the wheels so as to make good electrical connections but will not press .against the wheels with force suflicient to retard the rotation thereof and, consequently, affect the timing of the same. The conductor f0 connected to one of the bolts 37 leads to one side of a battery i2 or other source of electric energy while the conductor 41 connected to the other bolt 37 leads to one side of a signal, suchas a bell 43, a conductor 44; connecting the opposite side of the signal with the battery, as shown in Fig. 2. If the program shifts atregular intervals throughout the session, the minute wheel 16 may have its contact pins 19 set at distances apart corresponding to those intervals and the wheel must be employed and by properly setting the pins in the two wheels the signal may be operated in complete harmony with the program.

It will be understood that the particular type of signal is immaterial and a lamp may be substituted for the bell if preferred. It is also possible to use both a bell or other sounding signal and a visual signal, such as a lamp. WVhere both an audible and a visual signal are employed, the minute wheel 16 will preferably be connected to operate the audible signal'while the hour wheel will be connected to operate the visual signal. When both wheels are connected with one signal, the circuit will be completed only when both brushes rest against contact pins and the circuit will then be from the battery through one bolt 37 to the hour wheel and them through the wheel to the hollow shaft 23 and the main shaft 4:, throughthe main shaft 4 to the minute Wheel and then through the minute wheel and the pins thereon to the opposite brush and thence through the described connections back to the'battery. If the minute wheel alone is to be used, the current instead of passing to the brush connected with the hour wheel will pass from the battery to a bolt 29 and thence through the frame 28 to the shaft 4, passing from the shaft 4 through the wheel 16 and the associated parts back to the signal and the battery as before.

It will be noted that I have provided an exceedingly simple device which will operate as long as the clock is wound and which will automatically announce the closing of one period and the beginning of a succeeding period.

Having thus described the invention, I claim:

A program clock comprising a driving shaft, a hollow shaft mounted on the driving shaft, gearing operatively connecting the hollow shaft with the driving shaft, wheels secured on the respective shafts and electrically connected therewith, each of said wheels consisting of a pair of disks secured together'and having diverging peripheral flanges and bands of insulation seated on said flanges, contact pins embedded in said bands and extending therethrough to the disks, and resilient brushes'secured in the casing and bearing upon the bands of the respective Wheels to be engaged by the contact pins.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

DESKIN D. SNOW.

20 may be disconnected, the conductor 40 being released from the bolt 37 and connected 'to one of the bolts 29 of the gear-supporting frame. If the changes occur at irregular intervals or at lntervals which will not divide evenly into the hour, then the hour wheel 20 

